Salal Berries

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is related to wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) and creeping snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula). Salal grows as medium-sized shrubs 2-3 feet high in full sun but 5-10 feet in shade. They have large, leathery, dark green leaves on red stalks. Their pink, urn-shaped flowers give way to bluish-black berries the size of blueberries with a mild, pleasant taste. They are juicy, sweet and aromatic, and they make excellent wine.

SALAL BERRY WINE (1)

4 lbs salal berries

1¾ lbs granulated sugar

6½ pts water

½ tsp acid blend

1 tsp pectic enzyme

1 crushed Campden tablet

1 tsp yeast nutrient

1 pkg wine yeast

Put half the water on to boil and stir in sugar until dissolved. Meanwhile, wash berries and cull out any that are not ripe or are unsound. Put berries in nylon straining bag and tie closed. Place in primary and mash berries. Pour sugar-water over berries and add remaining water to help cooling. Cover with colth and set aside until room temperature. Stir in acid blend, yeast nutrient and crushed Campden. Recover and wait 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme, recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir twice daily until fermentation dies down. Remove straining bag, squeeze to extract maximum juice, and discard pulp. Allow to settle overnight and rack into secondary. Top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 60 days and again when wine clears. Set wine in cool, dark place for 4 months, checking airlock periodically. Stabilize, sweeten to taste (if desired) and set aside for 14 days. Rack into bottles and enjoy. [Author's own recipe]

SALAL BERRY WINE (2)

6 lbs salal berries

1½ lbs granulated sugar

6 pts water

½ tsp acid blend

1 tsp pectic enzyme

1 crushed Campden tablet

1 tsp yeast nutrient

1 pkg wine yeast

Wash berries and cull out any that are unsound. Put berries in nylon straining bag and tie closed. Place in primary and mash berries. Pour sugar over berries and add water. Stir well until sugar is dissolved. Stir in acid blend, yeast nutrient and crushed Campden. Cover and wait 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme, recover and set aside another 12 hours. Add activated yeast and recover primary. Stir twice daily until fermentation settles down (about 7 days). Remove straining bag, squeeze to extract maximum juice, and discard pulp. Allow to settle overnight and rack into secondary. Top up if required and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 60 days and again when wine clears. Set wine in cool, dark place for 4 months, checking airlock periodically. Stabilize, sweeten to taste (if desired) and set aside for 14 days. Rack into bottles and enjoy. [Author's own recipe]

Last update was November 3rd, 2000.

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